Just stay
by R8c4a3l
Summary: Season 1, Episode 6 - The undead and unsaid. What if Zoe had let Wade sleep over in HER bed, when she couldn't sleep. *one shot


DISCLAIMER DISCLAIMER DISCLAIMER

Zoe could feel the pulsating darkness hover over her like a thick fog. '_This is ridiculous' _she kept repeating over and over again, there were no such things as ghosts! That creepy woman from her practice had just set the usually level headed doctor over the edge. Her mind racing with different scenarios of the undead. Leon Mercy was dead. More then that, he had been dead for over a year, so in conclusion he was _very_ dead.

The usually peaceful sound of night unerved Zoe to no end, crickets, the wind and on occasion the odd owl calling out into the night. The Sherif hadn't helped her feeling of safety either, after mentioning all those other dangerous animals lurking in the woods, Zoe didn't feel too much like sleeping; ghost or no ghost.

Zoe kept eyeing her slightly a-jar bedroom window with accusitory suspicsion, as if any number of creatures could come climbing through it at any moment. She took a deep steadying breath, preparing herself for leaving the safety of her bed to close the half open window. Suddenly an owls call ripped through the night, so much closer then it had ever been before.

The doctor let out a terrified squeak, and froze in the centre of her bed. "Who? An educated Doctor thats who" she mumbled to herself, god this was getting her knowhere. The soothing sound of a guitar jolted her yet again that night and Zoe instantly felt more desperate then ever. But she had a way to fix her problems. Wade.

Zoe leapt out of her bed and proceeded to turn on every appliance in her house, the lights, the fan, every lamp she owned and even hung out the window with her hair dryer. Still nothing. This usually worked, and then she spotted her brand new bug zapper hanging ominously beside her. Zoe smirked and flipped the final switch.

It didn't take long before everything went off with a mighty crack and she heard "DAMN IT ZOE!" yelled from across the pond. Yes. She quickly hurried to put her hair dryer away and find the matches to light a candle.

It didn't take long for Wade to march his way over to her house and let himself in without asking, just slamming his way through the screen door.

"Hey, what the hell?" Wade Kinsella asked, as he stood there shritless, low slung jeans the only thing gripping his hips. Zoe couldn't help but notice the undone top button of his well worn jeans, and a slight precarious sliver of skin eyeing her from where it should be.

"I am so so sorry Wade"-she began, trying to play the forgetful neighbour for all its worth-"It must be the new bug zapper bought"

Wade wasn't buying it "What are you even doing up at this hour?" the confusion clear on his face, Zoe had it pretty obvious that she wanted nothing to do with him.

"I'm not sleepy" she lifted her hands up as if that explained everything.

"Well I don't care, go to bed" he was just about to turn to leave when the desperate voice of one Miss Zoe Hart caught his attention, yet again.

"NO! Wait, wait...Sine we're both up..do you wanna hang out, have some tea or something?" she tried smiling innocently at the end of her little suggestion, but it was clear Wade was getting a different idea.

"Yeah, well yeah, I'll have some _tea_" he laced that word with his obvious meaning and Zoe just flung up her hands holding him off.

"Woah no, oh no"-but Wade still slowly paced towards her-"bad idea, I'm sleepy, exhausted, go away"

Wade Kinsella's face instantly fell, what was she doing to him, playing her little games! "You are a certified crazy person, you know that, now historically I found that hot, but in your case I think I'm cured" He turned on his heel to storm out, the dark shadows from her burning candle playing across the deep ridged muscles of his back, as he left. "UNBELIEVABLE"

Zoe was left there feeling completely at a loss "He's right, this is nuts, ghosts?" she turned to go back to bed and completely ready to forget about this stupid little incident.

Zoe's heart jumped out of her chest and almost smashed on the floor. LEON MERCY was in her WINDOW. "AAAAAAHHHHHH!WAAAADE!" Wade came charging back into the house and almost flew into the her bedroom. He was by her side in a matter of seconds flat and Zoe never took her eye off the window for a second.

"What? what is it?" He lay a strong hand on her bard shoulder, trying to understand the breathless words escaping her mouth.

"Leon Mercy!" she managed to choke out, while poitning frantically at the window frame. Wade couldn't believe it, she'd done it again, made him come running.

"Leon Mercy?" he replied with a healthy does of scepticism.

"Yeah look" Zoe didn't notice the sarcastic roll of the eyes, as Wade walked towards the window without a care in the world.

"Leon Mercy, huh?"- Wade peered out the window, cupping his hands against the glass to see better-"Oh, yeah, there are like ten Leon Mercy's out here". Wade flipped his attention back to Zoe. "Okay, no ghosts, no Leon Mercy. Nothing. Thankyou. Goodnight." Desperation clung to Zoe like a life vest. So what if she was being irrational, so what if she was a grown ass woman, sometimes you just need a little reassurance.

"No, Wade, I'm sorry, maybe I'm nuts...will you just stay till morning?" The look of pure astonishment across Wade's face would have been funny if not for how terrified she was feeling. He just stood there and considered it for a couple of seconds, searching the emotions on Zoe's face for any sign of humour; he was not willing to be made a fool of.

"Alright" and he proceed to start to undo the final buttons on his jeans while eyeing the bed with its blankets all crumpled.

Zoe placed a hand on Wade's well toned abs "Not there" she said pointing to the bed, "the couch".

Wade let out an exasperated sigh, but didn't budge. There was no way he was sleeping on the couch. "Its the bed, or I go home Doc, its up to you"

Zoe weighed up the alternative in her head, but she was in desperate need of some sleep and it couldn't be that bad, could it? "FINE, but no funny business you here?"

Wade just dropped his head to the side slightly and smirked "Like I would" and they _both_ new the answer to that. He quickly lost his jeans and was down to a nice pair of black skin tight boxers that perfectly scupltured his well toned ass. It was just one of those things you just had to appreciate. Zoe quickly flicked her gaze away when he shuffled into bed and his 'package' was clearly on display through said boxers. "You gonna close the window Doc?" he asked, smiling alomst kindly at her.

Zoe didn't wait for an invetation, she closed the window, doused the candle and made her way cautiously to her bed. Where one Wade Kinsella waited. It felt like mosquitos had laid a nest in her stomach, but she didn't turn back. Wade pulled the covers away as she approached and slid on in beside him. The bed wasn't the biggest in the world and Zoe was pressed flush up to the side of Wade's body. "Well isn't this nice" Wade commented, trying to slice the tension that was building between them.

Wade lifted the arm pressed against Zoe and motioned for her to sit up, she did and then lay back down with Wade's muscled arm as a pillow. She couldn't help but feel like it was nice. Not that she would ever tell him that. The fear bursting inside of her seemed to be joining that mosquitos in her stomach in a death dance that would be sure to keep her up all night. At least she felt marginally safer with Wade beside her.

"Wade?" she asked after a couple of minutes.

"Hmmm?" he replied, trying desperatly not to let on how truly comfortable he felt right now.

"Thanks"

"Zoe?" he asked in the same tone.

"Yeah?"

"You're welcome"

Zoe didn't mean to but she settled in closer to Wade's warm protective body and before she knew it, the mosquitos dissapeared and her fear was all but gone. She had finally fallen asleep. Wade on the other hand had never been so at ease and so nervous in his entire life. It took him until Zoe was sleeping soundly on his chest to finally close his eyes. The smell of Zoe's hair was intoxicating his brain and he could barely breath from the need to pull her closer. This was definatly not how he imagined his night would play out.

A loud knocking on the door of Zoe's carriage house awoke her from her deep slumber. "Zoe? Someone's at the door" Wade mumbled while drawing lazy circles across her bare shoulder with his thumb. It was nice, although she wouldn't admit that to him either.

Zoe was immediantly alert, she steeled a deep breath and marched steadily towards her door. The knocking hand't ceased since Wade had gently woken her. The familiar stance of one nervous Rose Hattenbarger sent Zoe into immediate worry mode. It had to be some time in the early morning, what on earth was she doing here?

"Rose?"

"Zoe, I'm sorry its late but Magnolia is passed out drunk and we can't wake her up" Zoe rushed out to the past out girl on the back seat of some guys car. Different scenarios were flooding through Zoe's head as Rose explained what had happend and who had driven them here.

"Wait there were juniour at this party?"

"I would have left but I couldn't leave Frederick with Magnolia, the kissing games turned into drinking games"

"What were you thinking?" at that point Wade took the perfect opportunity to appear out of Zoe's house, shirtless as ever...but at least he'd put his pants back on.

"What was _I_ thinking?" Rose replied with equal condecension, amazingly for a fouteen year old. Zoe couldn't deal with this right now, she needed to rationalize. Not think about how safe Zoe had felt sleeping beside Wade.

"Whats going on you need my help?" Wade asked all concern and instantly gravitating towards the petite doctor.

"Yes, help me get her out of the car" he didn't wait for further instruction, just swooped down picked up Magnolia like she was a rag doll and lay her gently on Zoe's sun lounger.

Zoe resorted to that place inside herself when she dealt with difficult situations. She quickly sent Wade to get his car and made a difficult call to one Lemon Breeland. It wasn't long until Magnolia was safely recouperating at the practice and Lemon was fussing over her like a mother.

"Come on Doc, you can't do no more" Wade placed a hesitant hand on the small of her back, it didn't disgust her as much as she thought it would.

"Yeah, did Rose get home okay?" she asked absentmindedly. Zoe was exhausted, the fear, the alcohol poisoning, her mother, she wanted to go home.

"Yeah, she's safe, she kept talking about Fredrick Dean..." Wade grimaced slightly at the memory, he wasn't Doctor Phil. Zoe was silently resting her head on the door frame, propping herself up slightly.

Wade knelt down slightly, looped his hands under her legs and lifted her up into a queen's carry. "Wade what are you doing?!" she squealed half heartidly.

"Come on Doc, you're tired" he didn't listen to her protests, just carried her out of the Practice and set her down safely in the passenger seat of his car. "Just sleep Zoe, I'll be here". She mumbled incoherently and let her head rest.

Wade drove as carefully as he could back up to the plantation, casually glancing at the sleeping doctor by his side. It was nice, although he'd never admit that to her.  
He pulled up steadily outside Zoe's carriage house, the light of day casting a new glow on Zoe's beautiful face.

He jumped out of the car, opened the passenger door and picked Zoe up into his arms. He climbed the porch steps and heaved the screen door open with his back. He was all ready to place his sleeping Zoe on her bed when he saw another figure in her bedroom. Wade clutched the doctor closer to his chest.

"Who are you?" he accused

"Who are you?" she replied, staring at the young woman in his arms.

The noise and Wade's tighter grip jostled Zoe from her slumber only to realise her feet weren't touching the floor and there was more then just Wade in her room. "Mom?!" Zoe yelped, her eyes as wide as saucers, staring at the woman she had been working so hard to avoid.


End file.
